₦airaland Forum

^^^^

Omo Iya, very unfortunate.

I missed him deeply, his writings, his wisdom, his analysis, his brilliant grasp of history and his oratory, he taught me the correct spelling of A Luta Continua and I never even met him.

He's wasn't perfect and some people don't like him, but I was deeply saddened by his death.

I read his book The Kaduna Boy as a pimple faced teenager and my academic life changed. . .

^^I never believed that Drug baron nonsense, and OBJ and Uncle Bola Ige were not close IMO, Ige was an Awoist, OBJ an usurper and a betrayer, I doubt Bola Ige trusted that man at all . . .

@stranger, Tryna impress the Indiana chic?  

I can't always "criticize" yankee jare, You need to be more positive and hope for the best. Anyway, Indiana girl "hopes she's wrong". . see?

Hiring a good lawyer is like having a joker in the pack, even in Texas.

Time to retire for the day. . .

^^ I don't know, just asking, he was Justice minister, and kinda feisty and brave, depends on who you speak with. We all seem to have more questions than answers, I was just wondering "aloud"

I think his killers might be connected to the politics of that period and his reported decision to retire, dunno really

^^Do you think the Americans did it?

dunno, I just wish his family and the rest of us can get some justice, Bola Ige did not deserve to die like that.

I still miss Uncle Bola Ige, The Cicero of Esa Oke 

A Cold Case

By Idris Akinbajo
March 20, 2011 02:06AM 


Police spectacularly bungled the investigation into the brutal murder of Bola Ige, then the attorney general, from the very beginning, and have, to all appearances, given up trying to apprehend the killers.

In the days immediately following the murder, the assistant inspector general directly in charge of the investigation confessed to American authorities that the police had already made a mess of their work, and compounded initial errors with even graver ones. The result is that the investigation has hit a dead end, and the police appear to have given up the search.

After Mr. Ige was killed two days to Christmas in 2001, a special team of investigators was constituted to unravel his murder. It has now emerged that members of the team were grossly incompetent, a situation that ruined the investigation. The team, led by former Assistant Inspector General of Police, Abimbola Ojomo, committed atrocious errors which caused agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigations, who were called in to help with the investigations, to conclude that Mr. Ige’s murderers might never be found.

According to a United States diplomatic cable made available to NEXT, Howard Jeter, former US ambassador to Nigeria, in a January 18, 2002 dispatch to Washington, less than one month after the murder, said the visiting American investigators found their Nigerian counterparts as ‘under-trained and ill-equipped’ and came to the conclusion that the inquiry would not yield results.

“Absent a credible confession or outside assistance, the Nigerian investigation will fail to identify the assassin or his paymaster because of the lack of preserved evidence and the weak investigative skills of the police team,” Mr. Jeter stated while agreeing with the American operatives.

Sloppy investigation

According to Mr. Jeter, the American government got involved because “with political and public pressure inexorably mounting, the police desperately sought USG assistance in the investigation of the late minister’s murder”. The American team began its mission in Nigeria with a meeting with Mrs. Ojomo on January 10, 2002, about two weeks after the murder. At the meeting with the American officials, Mr. Jeter wrote, Mrs. Ojomo “summoned members of her handpicked investigative team to join in discussing the case with the USG visitors”.

To the chagrin of the visitors, the ballistics expert on Mrs. Ojomo’s team “confided that unspent shotgun shells left at the crime scene were not processed for latent fingerprints and were handled by at least six police officials before being placed in a paper envelope and marked as evidence”. ogbele o

“Similar examples of poor collection and preservation of crime scene evidence,” the ambassador said, “were evident, including the removal of the body, the movement of a suitcase that the assailant reportedly opened and searched, and the failure to take fingerprints of the attorney general to compare with unknown fingerprints found at the crime scene.” Mrs. Ojomo reportedly conceded that the investigation was sloppy.

Mr. Jeter said that during the meeting, the police AIG “candidly expressed disappointment in her team’s performance and noted that these deficiencies highlighted the need for advanced training for CID investigators — training that could be provided by the USG, particularly the FBI, in evidence collection and forensic analysis”.

The feeling of the American officials after meeting with Mrs. Ojomo and her team was one of disbelief as they “found a group of under-trained and ill-equipped investigators struggling with a complex criminal investigation.” Mr. Jeter stated in his cable to Washington that the actions of the investigators showed a complete lack of professionalism and competence in handling the investigations.

How US described the investigations

It was not only lower-rank investigators that were deficient in the basic skills of forensic analysis. Even Mrs. Ojomo was guilty of the same.

“These deficiencies were underscored by an offer from Mrs. Ojomo herself to open the envelope containing the gunmen’s unspent shells and give these to the FBI agents for examination in her office (which would have further contaminated the evidence).” The American ambassador, however, noted that the police wanted their investigation to yield a successful prosecution. He urged the US government to extend its assistance to the Nigerian police to aid it in its investigations.

The murder

Mr. Ige was killed on December 23, 2001 in his house in Ibadan, Oyo State. Following the death of Sani Abacha, former military dictator, and the decision of the Abdusalam Abubabakar-led military government to hand over to a democratically-elected leadership in 1999, Mr. Ige teamed up with other politicians to form the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). Disagreements between members of the party led Mr. Ige and other political associates like Olu Falae, Abraham Adesanya, and Chukwuemeka Ezeife to form the Alliance for Democracy (AD) on the deadline date fixed for party registration by the Independent National Electoral Commission. Mr. Ige challenged Mr. Falae for the presidential ticket of the AD but lost out in a vote by elders of the party.

The governor of old Oyo State (1979-1983) then accepted to be a minister under former President Olusegun Obasanjo after the latter’s election on the PDP platform in 1999. After a stint in the Ministry for Power, the late politician was moved to the Justice Ministry by Mr. Obasanjo. He was murdered at a time when he was signalling to Mr. Obasanjo that he was quitting the PDP government to concentrate on the building of his party. Mrs. Ojomo gave the American officials the same story that the police had given Nigerians about Mr. Ige’s death.

“During the evening of December 23, Ige allowed all members of his police security team to take a dinner break, during which the assailants entered the Ige compound unchallenged,” Mrs. Ojomo told the US officials. “The assailants entered the home, found and forced household staff and Ige’s grown children and wife into a room, before killing Ige with a single shotgun blast at near point-blank range.” The police chief also told the American officials that “police investigators believe the assailants searched a suitcase and some bedroom furniture before fleeing”.

‘Ige was not killed by drug barons’

While there were rumours at the time that drug barons could have killed Mr. Ige as he had, as attorney-general, opposed the bail of some drug traffickers, Mrs. Ojomo dismissed that possibility.

“Possible drug- or organized crime-related motives for the murder have been investigated and rejected, claimed the AIG,” Mr. Jeter stated.

“She disclosed that she had specifically investigated the possibility that two Nigerian drug traffickers arrested in August (2001) with 60 kilograms of cocaine — against whose bail the AG personally fought in court — could have had a hand in the murder, but came up blank.” Mrs. Ojomo confided in the American authorities that Mr. Ige’s murder may have been politically motivated.

“Ojomo revealed that ongoing interviews of potential suspects have focused attention on one political associate of Ige’s whose story is inconsistent. This is their most promising suspect, she claimed.” She also called on the US government to provide all possible assistance to the investigators, particularly with the provision of a polygraph machine to aid in the interrogation of the suspects.

No comment from police

Police spokesperson, Yemi Ajayi, declined to respond to our enquiry on the observations of the American team and the confession by Mrs. Ojomo and her team members. He also would not discuss the status of the nine-year-old investigation. Mr. Ajayi said he would only react after seeing the US cable.

“I cannot say anything now until we see the document,” he said.

The police had previously stated that the investigation was ongoing.


http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/Home/5684203-146/story.csp

fstranger3:
I hope he knows how to drink dirty kunu and suya made out of 3-day old rat!



@EKu_Bear, dont mind them jare, just pay me, I will live in Nigeria for you.

HAHAHAHA That eku_bear go suffer, I can imagine him speaking with strong American accent at his generator repairers shop, those hard faced boys go chop hin money die.


@topic, after it's all said and done, the victims and those dead kids deserve justtice, the girl did the right thing by surrendering. . .

@ Mazi Ezeuche, I agree with you my brother, Eku_bear will become food for Area boys and Mopol once he opens his mouth.

^^ LOL

Don't be too sure though, Houston has a very vibrant, influential Nigerian community, a defense lawyer with a choice to pick jurors will know that too.

Fstranger, If na you "Ife boy" and you decided to come back, I will definitely question your sanity

That girl is like eku_bear, too yankee to survive in Nigeria

@Super moon, same here in my village  

fstranger3:
Sorry, I dont think you know what you are talking about.!

^^ OK make we dey watch am. . .

Fstanger and eku_bear calm down, I did not smoke Igbo. .

She can't run for ever, the girl is as Nigerian as Britney Spears, if all I've read about her is true. . .

A Voodoo priest  and her lover burnt their apartment while performing rituals with some lighted candles in New York a few weeks ago and an old lady neighbor died in the inferno, last time I read the story, The New York police Department stated they can't charge them with anything because it's an accident.

Yes, This girl was negligent and she lives in Texas, so I know it will be a bit difficult for her, but there is nothing community goodwill, great criminal defense, plenty good witnesses and a sympathetic jury cannot do in America.

She did not sell drugs, neither did she set out to murder the kids.

The only problem she might have will be the lady DA who felt embarrassed after she ran, and she was criticized for being slow to build a case, and that might work in her favor actually.


Yes, She made a mistake by bolting to Naija, she was young, scared, confused and encouraged by older family memebers to run. she can get  way with a few years, she surrendered to the US embassy all by herself folks.

Keep following the story folks, Justice in America is not black and white. a good defense lawyer can convince God to open the gates of heaven for Lucifer.

--I think this girl needs to hire me ASAP--

^^ If she can get a good lawyer, considering her age, crime record, and good testimonies from the community and some of the victim's families ( I read one of the parents calling the incident a sad mistake) she can get a reduced sentence, serve a few years and come out to live a full good life.

She is still young at 22, She did the right thing, it's not easy to live like a fugitive James Ibori all your life. . . especially when you are a poor nobody.

Ministers, Jackson Lee urge Tata to return
By PAIGE HEWITT
Copyright 2011 Houston Chronicle
March 13, 2011, 8:09PM

Chronicle

The Rev. Felix Awotula joins Pastor Yemi Ayodele, second from left, and Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee at a news conference Sunday to plead for fugitive Jessica Rene Tata to turn herself in.


A congresswoman and Nigerian ministers pleaded Sunday for 22-year-old Jessica Rene Tata to return to Houston to face charges in the fire that killed four toddlers at her west Houston day care last month.

"Bring your loved one home," U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee said at a news conference Sunday, directing her comments at Tata's family, who did not attend the event.

Nigerian authorities are cooperating in the search and the U.S. Marshals Service has investigators on the ground in Nigeria, she said. Finding Tata will be challenging as Nigeria is a large country with virtually endless places to hide, she added.

Unless Tata, a U.S. citizen with family in Nigeria, voluntarily returns, authorities would be forced to seek extradition in the courts, a process that could take years, delaying closure for the young victims' families, Jackson Lee said.

The congresswoman thanked Tata's family here in Houston for donating money to help the victims' families, but urged them to do more by appealing to the 22-year-old, now among the most wanted American fugitives.

"Bring her home to these faith leaders," she said. "They will be with you through the process. They have been praying for the victims, but they also have been

praying for you and Jessica. Everyone needs closure. "

Ministers pledged to provide support to Tata and her family if she returns to Houston.

"How long can she live like this? There can be no closure for Jessica as long as she is on the run," said Tina Edebor, a minister.

From another Nigerian minister, Laba Odiri: "She (Tata) cannot undo what has been done. We all must move forward."

Authorities allege Tata left something cooking on the stove and went to a Target store, leaving seven preschoolers alone at her in-home day care, Jackie's Child Care.

Neighbors saw Tata pull into her driveway and open the front door. Smoke billowed out and Tata screamed for help.
Four of the children died; three others were injured.


http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7470791.html



I'm proud of the Nigerian Community in that city for showing empathy while handling a difficult situation, another example of how decent Nigerians can be in an atmosphere of justice, fairness and equity.

MODs can move this to the crime section it they wish. . . My bad

Neighbors Relieved At Fugitive Day Care Owner's Surrender

By Stephen Dean

POSTED: Saturday, March 19, 2011


HOUSTON -- People who live near the day care where four children died expressed relief over the surrender of fugitive day care owner Jessica Tata, Local 2 Investigates reported Saturday.

Relatives of the 22-year-old day care owner told U.S. Marshals that she surrendered to a U.S. Embassy in Nigeria, a fact that her mother confirmed for Local 2 Investigates.

The family stopped answering calls or knocks at their door around Noon at their home near Katy.

News of the surrender caused visible sighs of relief for those closest to the case.

"Thank God," said a woman who lives next door to the daycare. She declined to give her name.
"I was really hoping she would turn herself in and do the right thing," she said. "I'm glad to hear that. That's so awesome," said the neighbor, who added that it should provide closure to the victims' families and the daycare's neighbors.

Another neighbor who helped to console Tata as the fire was burning and children were dying said, "That's nice to know she turned herself in. I'm glad she's in custody, I think everybody is."

She also declined to provide her name since she is expected to be called to testify at Tata's trial. She said Tata, on the day of the fire, was terribly sad and shaken up and she "made it worse by leaving."

An expert on extradition treaties with Nigeria, University of Houston Law School Professor Jordan Paust said Tata will have to waive all of her rights to extradition under Nigerian law in order to return to Houston quickly.

"You don't arrest her, but will she consent to coming back? And she may not know about rights that she might have under Nigerian law, and I don't know if it's our duty to tell her her rights under Nigerian law," said Paust, who added that US Embassy officials are only required to inform her of international laws.

He said Tata cannot be arrested in Nigeria unless that government agrees, so he expected embassy officials to try to urge her to waive her extradition rights in order to send her back to Houston quickly.

Federal officials told Local 2 Investigates they were hoping to have Tata returned to Houston by Tuesday.

Professor Paust suggested that any lawyer involved in her criminal defense in Houston may challenge the manner in which her rights to formal extradition proceedings were avoided.

Even if she signs a full waiver of extradition, Paust said that could be challenged if she surrendered to the US to avoid a lynch mob in Nigeria.

The Harris County District Attorney's office declined comment, saying prosecutors have not yet been formally notified that she is in custody or returning to Houston. Houston Fire Department leaders provided no immediate comment.


http://www.click2houston.com/news/27251235/detail.html

^^ Hopefully, more politically aware Nigerians who truly care about change and can see through the lies of these politicians will do what you are doing. . .

@kobo, I'm not GEJ's friend on Facebook, I just can't bring myself to click "like" on his page. But I will definitely try to get one of his Facebook "fans" to post it.

Kongi came through as always. . .

KnowAll:
My Brother a medical Doctor came to london for a weeks holiday, and I asked him casually who he would vote for considering the avalanche of bad news and press against Jonathan on the web. To my astonishment he said Jonathan all the way oooooo. I was shocked, and I asked him why Jonathan, he said don't you know he is a Phd holder. I said and so what, he said Buhari is coupist and an illetrate Soldier man.

That made me thinking I hope most folks back home are not as parachoial as my Brother. I know Yoruba people like someone " wey sabi book" but could being a Phd. holder swing it for Jonathan. I hope my brothers utterances is an isolated case. 

Dude, why are you surprised? I guess you left Nigeria a long time ago, right?

Most Nigerians do not have access to the internet to read or hear all these anti-GEJ cries or arguments.

Outside Blackberry babes with plenty sugar daddies, most Nigerians don't have the money to recharge their phones constantly and browse the internet for information. How many Nigerians can afford DSTV connection and watch NN24 debates?

Nigerians are left at the mercy of NTA which is dominated by and filled with GEJ/PDP propaganda, remember Egypt National TV before the fall of Mubarak? They apologized after Mubarak fell. NTA is any-government-in-power and that is what my people have free access to when PHCN gives them light or when they are bored with Nolly-wood movies.

Even those with few Nairas to spare have to ration their fuel money between the Generator and the Car, no time or money for luxuries like newspapers or the internet, How do you expect those people to understand the nuances of this political atmosphere?

They are limited to few soundbites and beer palour talk about the candidates, like;

"GEJ is a poor man wey become governor"  although they forget a candidate like Buhari was born poor too.

"GEJ na South South, North don do" although They forget he's still PDP and supported by the same old powerful, corrupt governors and politicians across all regions.

They don't think Utomi is qualified enough, "he no get money to campaign"

They'll tell you; "GEJ na humble man", because they are confusing indecision and weakness with humility.

So, if your Bro who is a doctor and supposedly educated can fail to see through the fraud that PDP/GEJ is, what do you want my Grandmother in the Village to do?

GEJ is going to win this election because most Nigerians are still too oppressed and too ignorant to see beyond the lies of PDP or do anything about it.

But I believe that it won't be this easy for PDP/looters next time, The world is changing, there is hope for my Country. . .

Apart from political and legal solutions, dialogue with our Yoruba
brothers is in the offing.
“We have never fought war with our Yoruba brothers. We shall not do so
now. We shall resolve the issue amicably.

Dialogue is in the offing. The spirit of our forefathers will not
Forgive us if we go to war with our Yoruba brothers over the issue. The matter will be resolved to the advantage of the Itsekiri,” he said.

I read Ondo State lost 260 Oil wells to Delta state a few year's ago (see links), so what's new?

Nigerian Oil wells/wealth belongs to Nigerian Politicians, their families and their goons regardless of ethnicity.

Join politics my people, quit crying over resources that will not benefit you. 


http://nigeriavillagesquare.com/forum/main-square/21532-ondo-loses-whopping-260-oil-wells-delta.html


http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/National/5589595-147/ondo_seeks_legal_redress_over_delta.csp

Jos security is when you embezzle public funds so you can have money to run for higher office.

They want more airports. LOOOOOL

No wonder PDP keeps winning. . .

[quote author=isale_gan2 link=topic=590933.msg7943806#msg7943806 date=1300538482]Still GEJ's Election To Lose

There's been talk, speculation and opinions about President Goodluck Jonathan missing the first presidential debate.  A whole lot of hand-wringing. 

A lot of people feel insulted that he did not participate.  I don't.  Think about it:

-  GEJ is leading at the moment and will very likely garner the most votes to retain his position, considering his challengers have to share the opposition votes between them. Show me any polls to the contrary.

-  After a while, you reach a point of diminishing returns.  If he is leading, why subject himself to unnecessary scrutiny.  Standing there while the other desperate challengers thrown questions or barbs at him can only take away from him.  One or more of them will make a very good point that may sway a few lukewarm supporters or undecided voters. 

-  Political candidates have to do this all the time - make politically motivated moves and take calculated risks.  It is not personal.  It is politics.  You want to win!  After the election, once you're secured the seat, then you can go make your apologies and promise the people you will have all of their interests at heart, even the ones that didn't vote for you.  Yeah, right!  [/quote]The demographics that wanted him to come on NN24 are obviously more educated, more exposed, probably more influenced by political practices in other big democracies abroad than most Nigerians. IMO, they will not vote GEJ anyway. So If GEJ was trying to avoid their scrutiny, he can't.

BUT as per millions of local regular oppressed Nigerians, driven by religious/ethnic sentiments, with little to no access to information and the sophistication to analyse political issues, It does not matter who wins a debate, the constant adverts on NTA by PDP, the inept Police service and the fear of harrassment will ensure their "votes" go to the ruling party, and there's nothing they will do about it this year. The foundation is still faulty.

Buhari vs Ribadu vs. Shekarau

So, a lot of very smart, discerning Nigerians support Buhari.  I can't help but wonder how that would have turned out were Idiagbon still alive.  Are these people supporting Buhari for him or for his administration which most people thought was really Idiagbon's administration?  We'll never know, but I also see the promise that Buhari holds.  I'm not knocking them for liking the former head-of-state.

For me Buhari, is a necessary evil, the need for change overrides any other reservations I have about him, and I have some.

I was never really sold on Ribadu.  Running off when the going gets tough?  And being too close to OBJ.  Also, he sucked at the debates. Too bad the ACN are stuck with him.

Ribadu, same as above.

I didn't know much about Shekarau but he seems to be garnering more support and esteem the more we see of him.  Probably a force to contend with in national politics for some time to come.

The current madness over Shekarau's supposed Eloquence is silly and embarrassing to me personally as a Nigerian. Because he sabi speak English? 

I fail to see that the fuss is all about.

The guy gave no me no answer I can point to as adequate, He cuts the picture of a regular anything-goes Nigerian politician and I wonder what he did in Kano that is so amazing, Lagos I know, Kano?

Shekarau is just another BS talking politician with a better command of English than the others.

GEJ might actually have a challenge on his hands if all the candidates can coalesce and join forces either behind Buhari or behind Shekarau.  Highly unlikely at this point.

GEJ is going to win this election. Except there is a popular uprising or he suddenly drops dead. I see no other outcome.

BUT,

I'm glad that Nigerians appear to be more aware and better informed than they were in 2003, 2007, I have great hope for my people and my country. The unrepentant looters will win this one for sure, but I see my people getting more powerful.

So I agree, only GEJ can defeat himself in this election. . .

Sagamite:
Omo ijinle, thank you for the swift and precise destruction of another desperate, moooronic logic formulated to defend Retardeen with an IQ of a Silverback Gorilla.

Agbalagba eniyan! anything for my people. . .

Newscaster, Una wan begin dey kill people after elections?

Job security is praying your Oga dies in office, since it's the only way you can get awoof promotion.

@Fsranger, NN24 is working with Americans to bring in Buhari/Ribadu/Shekarau so they can control them since they have no control over the current PDP government.

PDP puts Nigerians first always.

Foreign companies are not able to place spies in our PDP controlled Federal Ministries and GEJ will not join to support their UN resolutions. . . BTW PDP has passed the PIB law foreigners hate so much, NOT.

Buhari = Foreign = bad

Jonathan = Local = good

The logic is water tight!! Very brilliant analysis!!

BTW is President Goodluck's facebook page on a Nigerian website?

His official car nko, Nigerian made technology? What about the Presidential jet?

I heard Julius Berger built half of Abuja, time to burn the city! Julius Berger is associated with Germany.

NTA uses Foreign made Broadcasting equipments, let's stop watching NTA and stick to town criers.

^^ lol

BTW, what's up with the dirty, silly looking Oyinbo wig? inside hot weather?

Always sticking to the wrong traditions. . . Ignoring the right ones. Better things dey dia dem no go copy am

"Even the mouth and tongue do quarrel, so also do husband and wife. So, let us give more time and I hope we shall resolve the issue amicably at the end of the day"
Goodluck Jonathan, PRESIDENT of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Fresh Air 2011

This is classic ko s'eku ko s'eye analysis by my "excellent" president, it's a time tested Nigerian method 

Ignore the problem and hope it will disappear; The Nigerian national philosophy since 1960. . .

Stale Air 2011!

Ezeagu said there is nothing to show for the time President Jonathan had spent in office apart from “replicating the Abacha era when mushrooms of groups and associations were formed, spending tax payers money to drum support for his presidency.”

Assuming he got fooled into believing GEJ was "Fresh Air" at that time, It's safe to guess Bakare now agrees with Ezeagu's observation. . .

Time to cast PDP into oblivion.